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Increase in producer prices in Italy
According to data provided by Istat, in December 2024 there was an increase in industrial producer prices of 0.6% compared to the previous month, and by 1.1% on an annual basis. This marks a reversal compared to the negative trend in November, where a decline of 0.5% had been observed. The detailed analysis shows that, in the domestic market, prices increased by 0.8% compared to November and by 1.3% on an annual basis, in stark contrast to the -0.7% recorded in the previous
month.
Price trends without the energy sector
Excluding the energy sector, economic growth was lower, reaching +0.1%, while trend growth reached 0.5%, up from +0.3% in November. This suggests that, although there is a general recovery, the energy sector continues to significantly influence economic data. On the foreign market front, prices showed a monthly increase of 0.1%, with a growth of 0.2% in the euro area and a slight decline of 0.1% in
the non-euro area.
Growth in retail sales in Spain
In Spain, retail sales registered an astonishing 4% year-on-year growth in December 2024, according to the Spanish National Institute of Statistics. This increase exceeded analysts’ forecasts, who expected a much more modest increase of 0.5%. This result highlights a recovery in consumer confidence and a possible stabilization of the Spanish economy, which could also have positive repercussions on
other European markets.
Financial market reactions
The European stock exchanges showed a positive start, with the Ftse Mib in Piazza Affari rising by 0.3%. This optimism has been fueled by news such as that of Intel, which announced better than expected revenues for the fourth quarter, although it warned that its path to greater competitiveness is still under development. Apple also saw a 3% increase in extended trading, thanks to positive forecasts that offset the results of the first quarter, despite the fact that revenues from the iPhone and China were below expectations
.
